Author Archives: ChrisB

Sarah Palin in the Eye of the Beholder

With news that Governor Palin started her own political action committee at SarahPAC, she has entered the punditry discussion again, and yet again provokes strong responses, though as Josh Painter shows, little consensus. Many of the descriptions have to be … Continue reading

Posted in Chris' Page, Domestic Politics, Media | Tagged , | 6 Comments

David Cay Johnston Puts on his Bad Idea Jeans

(Edit: Mr. Johnston graciously replies in the comments section. It seems the invasion was a bit of a modest proposal that I failed to pick up on. While there are things to disagree with in the rest of the article, … Continue reading

Posted in Chris' Page, Foreign affairs, taxes | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

Three years undercover with the identity thieves

An interesting look at the hidden world of identity fraud.

Posted in Around the Web | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Tracking Obama’s Campaign Promises

Here’s a site to add to your bookmarks and check every once in awhile. It’s a site called PolitiTruth.com set up by the St. Petersburg Times to keep track of all 510 of might as well call him President now … Continue reading

Posted in Chris' Page, Domestic Politics, Election 2008 | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Is Our Universe a Hologram?

Scientists may have accidentally discovered an indication that it is, but warn it’s still way to early to tell.

Posted in Around the Web | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

How to Show Off Your Conservation Credentials

Rep. Eric Massa (D-N.Y.) decided he wanted to show off how green he was by driving an electric car being developed in his district to his swearing in at the Capitol in D.C. Of course no electric car actually has … Continue reading

Posted in Chris' Page, Domestic Politics, energy, Environment | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

What Does It Take for a Police Officer To Get Fired?

Radley Balko compares two police officer firings and finds that it’s pretty hard for an officer to get fired, unless they go easy on marijuana users.The first officer kind of reminds me of Alaskan State Trooper Mike Wooten from Sarah … Continue reading

Posted in Chris' Page, Libertarianism, Society | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Resolution to Repeal the Twenty-Second Amendment

Rep. José Serrano introduced a bill to do just that last week. Not sure why. I would think it had something to do with Obama being president, but he also introduced the same bill in 2005. (H/T: Euguene Volokh)

Posted in Chris' Page, Domestic Politics | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Bringing Sight to the Poor

with do it yourself adjustible strength glasses.No optician needed.

Posted in Around the Web | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Obama Stimulus Plan

A before and after look.

Posted in Around the Web | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Gaza War Arrives in Second Life

And amid the protests, obscenities, and intolerance we find a scene that you’d only find virtual worlds like Second Life:

Posted in Chris' Page, Foreign affairs, Technology | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

This Certainly Explains

the Government we have in DC.

Posted in Around the Web | Tagged , | Leave a comment

New Chili Pepper on the Block

The Dorset naga: Tesco, Britain’s biggest supermarket chain, recently added a new pepper to its vegetable shelves: the Dorset naga. Inhaling its vapour makes your nose tingle. Touching it is painful; cooks are advised to wear gloves. It is the … Continue reading

Posted in Chris' Page, Culture | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

Whatever Happened to Municipal Wifi?

GMU Law Professor, and sometimes Reason contributor Thomas W. Hazlett looks at what happened to the myriad of “free municipal wifi” promises from cities a few years ago.

Posted in Around the Web | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Cool Image of Venus

NASA captures this small movie of the solar wind stripping away the atmosphere of Venus. Very cool looking. (HT: Phil Plait)

Posted in Around the Web | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Utter Insanity

Those are the only words I can think to describe this proposal. The Hubbard-Mayer plan calls for the government to revive the moribund housing market by providing just about everybody with access to a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage with a 4.5 … Continue reading

Posted in Chris' Page, housing, regulation | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

“Worst Waste of the Year” Report

Cato looks at Senator Tom Coburn’s “Worst Waste of the Year” report that was just released (pdf report here). Tad DeHaven on how nauseating it was to read through the projects in the report, including a ” $15,000 in HUD … Continue reading

Posted in Chris' Page, Domestic Politics | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

Found on Ebay

Illinois Senate seat for sale.

Posted in Around the Web | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Stimulus: Spending vs. Tax Multipliers

Greg Mankiw has a post today look at the real world studies of spending and tax multipliers. Keynesians might be surprised to learn that the tax multiplier appears to be much larger than the spending one. Studies put the Government … Continue reading

Posted in Chris' Page, Domestic Politics, Economics | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Jon Henke for RNC Communications Director

A good look at how the RNC needs to restructure and how they don’t for the next generation of campaigning. Jon is mentioned as paradigm of what the RNC Communications Director needs to be, I’d agree. You need someone who … Continue reading

Posted in Chris' Page, Domestic Politics, Technology | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Medicare Handgun

Medicare to Cover Prescription Handguns? (HT Professor Volokh)

Posted in Around the Web | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Sullivan: Unhinged as a Truther

Andrew Sullivan, who’s never met a Sarah Palin rumor or slander he didn’t like, continues his transformation into an irrelevant and deranged Palin truther. It’s sad to see a once respectable voice in the blogosphere come unraveled, but Sullivan has … Continue reading

Posted in Chris' Page, Domestic Politics, Election 2008 | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Huckabee: Enemy of Libertarian Republicans Everywhere

Mike Huckabee’s new book is coming out, and in it he takes some pretty heavy shots at libertarian and economic conservatives who don’t share his populist big government views. The real threat to the Republican Party is something we saw … Continue reading

Posted in Books, Chris' Page, Domestic Politics, Libertarianism | 1 Comment

The Next Right

If you care any about the future of the Republican party and conservatism in general, you need to be reading The Next Right.

Posted in Around the Web | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Sarkozy The Georgian Hero?

Not sure how true this is, but here’s what the London Times says about how close Putin came to over throwing the Georgian government. With Russian tanks only 30 miles from Tbilisi on August 12, Mr Sarkozy told Mr Putin … Continue reading

Posted in Chris' Page, Foreign affairs | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Is it the Means or the End that Matters?

Michele Catalano writing at Pajamas Media yesterday, defending Obama’s call for (at one point) mandatory community service,  gets it completely wrong. To backtrack a little bit for those who haven’t been paying attention the last week or so, at President … Continue reading

Posted in Blogs, Chris' Page, Domestic Politics, Libertarianism | Tagged , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Post Election Polling?

I’m signed up to recieve emails for Zogby Polls so I too noticed the strange questions a reader at Clayton Cramer’s blog did. If you knew Barack Obama supported a plan to place a 75% excise tax on the sale … Continue reading

Posted in Chris' Page, Domestic Politics, Election 2008 | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Tequila into Diamonds

Scientists have developed a process for turning tequila into diamonds. I’m more of a whiskey man myself.

Posted in Around the Web | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Our President

Yes, Obama has made history and been elected president. I didn’t vote for him nor support him, but I have supported every US president in my lifetime and President Obama will be no different. I am going to disagree with … Continue reading

Posted in Chris' Page, Domestic Politics, Election 2008 | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

Tax Policy in the Obama Administration

For a technical look at what’s ahead, fifteen tax profs offer their thoughts on tax policy in the new Obama Administration.

Posted in Around the Web | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Proper Voting Attire

People are finding out that you have to be careful what you wear to the polling booth. The 40-year-old Houston Realtor was wearing one of her souvenir T-shirts when she went to cast her ballot at a Cypress polling place … Continue reading

Posted in Chris' Page, Election 2008, Law | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Where the Hell is Matt?

This is the greatness of the internet

Posted in Chris' Page, Culture, Humor, Travel | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

You’re Doing a Heck of a Blog Brownie

Former head of FEMA Michael Brown, now has a blog. And you’ll pardon me for saying but (outside aesthetics which don’t matter a whole lot to me) I find myself liking a lot of his posts! Read some for yourself. … Continue reading

Posted in Around the Web | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Pay No Attention to the Man Behind the Curtains

Alan Reynolds at Cato asks “How’s Obama Going to Raise $4.3 Trillion?” Altogether, Mr. Obama is promising at least $4.3 trillion of increased spending and reduced tax revenue from 2009 to 2018 — roughly an extra $430 billion a year … Continue reading

Posted in Chris' Page, Domestic Politics, Election 2008, taxes | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Is Income Tax Becoming Too Progressive?

Fewer and fewer people are paying income tax and even less will be with either candidates tax plan. I don’t think this would be such a problem if we didn’t have such high spending, growing entitlements, and if so many … Continue reading

Posted in Chris' Page, Domestic Politics, Economics, Election 2008, taxes | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Texas = Best State in the Country

Financially according to the Financial Times. Check out this interactive map of the states and their comparative rankings in different financial categories. (HT: Megan McArdle)

Posted in Around the Web | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Advice on your 401k

from Megan McArdle. Don’t look. I looked yesterday, but I’m just going to pretend I didn’t.

Posted in Around the Web | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

FDR Prolonged the Great Depression

New Deal policies signed into law 71 years ago thwarted economic recovery for seven long years. Continue reading

Posted in Chris' Page, Domestic Politics, Economics, Libertarianism | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

The Bailout…

doesn’t look like it’s going to pass the House floor. Update: It failed. The vote was 207-226 against the measure, with one member not voting, half an hour after voting began. Voting remains open even though the “official” time has … Continue reading

Posted in Chris' Page, Domestic Politics, Economics | Tagged , | Leave a comment

China Pulls a Lapham – UPDATED

China space mission article hits Web before launch A news story describing a successful launch of China’s long-awaited space mission and including detailed dialogue between astronauts launched on the Internet Thursday, hours before the rocket had even left the ground. … Continue reading

Posted in Chris' Page, Humor, Technology | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

Ike Aftermath

Hey guys. I’m still here and everything is fine. Had a small leak in my ceiling but otherwise no damage. Got power and water back Sunday, but there are still 1.5 million without, including my mother and sisters. Gas is … Continue reading

Posted in Chris' Page | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Hurricane Ike (Updated)

Scroll down for the updates. Well Hurricane Ike is heading my way. The center is projected to hit west of Houston, but a Freeport landfall would be the worst case for Houston, as it would entail a huge storm surge … Continue reading

Posted in Chris' Page | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

LHC Pick Up Lines

Now this may color some people’s opinon of me, and I don’t mean to put any spin on it, but the last panel of this comic is hilarious. It’s my kind of flavor.

Posted in Around the Web | Tagged , , , | 9 Comments

A Western Vibe Ticket

Todd Zywicki, of the Volokh Conspiracy, takes a look at libertarianism in the McCain/Palin ticket and notes a distinct western vibe to the first all-western ticket in our history. He had an interesting observation that I think captures a lot … Continue reading

Posted in Chris' Page, Domestic Politics, Election 2008, Libertarianism | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Fred News : FredPac

Looks like the big Fred Thompson news is the formation of FredPac. I thought he already had a pac though, so I guess it’s more of a change in mission statement moving forward. Dear Friend, The challenges America faces may … Continue reading

Posted in Chris' Page, Domestic Politics | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Surge of Ignorance

Eric Posner looks back at the predictions of the Surge in Iraq failing, and how ignorant they look today.

Posted in Around the Web | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

Thoughts on the Republican Convention

I tuned in for a little bit and here are some thoughts. ABC, NBC and CBS showed it in SD, while CNN had it in HD. Dunno why. ABC was behind. They had Thompson speaking while the other networks had … Continue reading

Posted in Chris' Page, Election 2008, Media | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

Summarizing Bob Barr

From the Onion. (1995–2007) Trying to control the faith, sexuality, reproduction, drug use, and national allegiance of every single American. (2007–) Aw, F–k it. H/T: Reason

Posted in Chris' Page, Domestic Politics, Humor, Libertarianism | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

The Truth About Russia in Georgia

Michael Totten is in Georgia interviewing actual Georgian soldiers and finding out what went on behind the scenes of this conflict. Turns out Saakashvili didn’t start it after all.

Posted in Around the Web | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

“Major” Fred Thompson Announcement Monday?

Just got this email from the Fred Thompson PAC. Friends, At this crucial moment in our nation’s history, it is vital that we adhere to the fundamental conservative principles that have unified us for over two centuries. On Monday, September … Continue reading

Posted in Chris' Page, Domestic Politics | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment